963:
975:
644:
225:
987:
485:, including his fists and rifle butt and was also tried for having allegedly driven a British POW named Cross insane through various cruelties, including throwing the POW into a shower bath with alternating hot and cold water, for half an hour. It was further alleged that, after a British POW named MacDonald had escaped and been recaptured, that Heynen had hit MacDonald with his rifle butt, knocked him down and kicked him. Also, on October 14, 1915, Heynen stood accused of having threatened the POWs under his command with
110:
22:
63:
834:
commanders with more traditional views of service honour insisted upon court martial prosecutions of German soldiers who stood accused of crimes against civilians in occupied countries or for massacres or other mistreatment of POWs. In fact, there are numerous documented cases of court martial
1349:"Führer-Erlasse" 1939 - 1945: Edition sämtlicher überlieferter, nicht im Reichsgesetzblatt abgedruckter, von Hitler während des Zweiten Weltkrieges schriftlich erteilter Direktiven aus den Bereichen Staat, Partei, Wirtschaft, Besatzungspolitik und Militärverwaltung
798:
With the arms buildup and continued warfare, the number of
Wehrmacht courts-martial increased to over 1,000. On 13 May 1941 Hitler had Keitel pass a directive, according to which any Wehrmacht officer had the authority to execute accused civilians in the area of
950:
Smaller offences are being handled by disciplinary courts which are attached to the administrative court system. They may only pronounce disciplinary punishments, but no criminal sentences (e.g. no imprisonment, except 21 days of detention in the watch room).
359:
1113:
962:
1121:
417:, Imperial German military courts routinely tried both their own soldiers, POWs, and civilians who were alleged to have knowingly violated German military law. The defense arguments of both
697:
armed forces by another directive with effect from 1 October 1936. The
Reichskriegsgericht was based in the former RMG building on WitzlebenstraĂźe in the Charlottenburg district of
302:, against whose rule the city of Breisach had rebelled. The court, however, rejected the superior orders defence. Peter von Hagenbach was found guilty of war crimes and executed by
469:, was court martialed for allegedly using unnecessary brutality against 200 British and 40 Russian POWs, who were under his command as forced labourers at the Friedrich der Grosse
874:(Flying Courts-Martial) to try German armed forces in the field. The use of "flying" refers to their mobility and may also refer to the earlier "flying courts martial" held in
560:, for having used the international legal protection given by her position as a Red Cross nurse as a cover for belligerent activity during wartime. Cavell was executed by
1236:
974:
427:, ignorance of the law were often taken very seriously by German military courts in the German Empire, and were sometimes considered grounds for granting leniency.
84:
274:
in 1474 was the first "international" recognition of commanders' obligations to act lawfully. Hagenbach was put on trial for atrocities committed during the
878:. Italian military judges were flown by aircraft to the location of captured rebels where the rebels were tried in a court martial shortly after capture.
1105:
852:
322:
537:
986:
936:
466:
71:
731:. The Reichskriegsgericht acted as the first and last resort for 44 criminal offenses under penalty of death such as the following:
1062:
174:
1125:
1018:
146:
1387:
1219:
153:
127:
35:
1129:
881:
Between 1939 and 1945 the
Reichskriegsgericht in Berlin was responsible for over 1,400 executions including those by the
1356:
211:
193:
160:
49:
1378:
1117:
759:), a diffuse term applied to all kind of actions that weaken the military strength of Germany and her allies, like
142:
1143:
897:
131:
1102:
889:, where it was based until the end of the war. In 1951 the building became the temporarily base of the Berlin
474:
1402:
804:
423:
1003:
844:
682:
443:
371:
584:
in occupied
Belgium, was similarly convicted of espionage and executed by firing squad on 1 April 1916.
509:
for courage under enemy fire. At the insistence of the
British Government after the Armistice, however,
310:, the trial of Peter von Hagenbach is seen as the first war crimes prosecution based on this principle.
1147:
947:
in case of war and for soldiers sent abroad, subject to a federal law. Such a law has not been passed.
705:
1112:
10 February 2006 Draft by M. Cherif
Bassiouni -Distinguished Research Professor of Law and President,
1074:
968:
Plaque to conscientious objectors and resistance fighters at the former
Reichskriegsgericht in Berlin
882:
577:
514:
1159:
856:
41:
1023:
827:
529:
430:
The
Prussian Ministry of War also founded a Bureau to investigate allegations of both Allied and
167:
120:
76:
1086:
932:. Criminal acts committed by soldiers are tried in ordinary criminal courts by civilian judges.
1319:
1302:
1197:
901:
779:
458:
346:
307:
252:
286:, which, "he as a knight was deemed to have a duty to prevent", and of personally committing
908:
parliament finally passed bills to suspend the verdicts against
Wehrmacht for desertion and
800:
596:
525:
462:
314:
8:
1241:
1163:
1054:
929:
840:
772:
664:
482:
326:
267:
260:
728:
632:
624:
498:
451:
447:
391:
342:
256:
1237:"Revealed: New evidence that executed wartime nurse Edith Cavell's network was spying"
1050:
704:
A directive on a special criminal law of war was already enacted on 17 August 1938 by
643:
224:
1352:
1215:
944:
839:
in such cases. Furthermore, several senior officials of the legal departments of the
628:
612:
604:
486:
431:
291:
271:
520:
Of those enemy nationals who were prosecuted, especially well-known is the case of
306:
at
Breisgach on 4 May 1474. Despite the fact there was no explicit use of the term
299:
295:
587:
After his merchant ship was captured off German-occupied Belgium, English captain
1177:
1109:
673:
660:
635:. Charles Fryatt was executed by a Naval firing squad in Bruges on 27 July 1916.
568:
541:
510:
418:
363:
275:
497:, found guilty, and sentenced to fourteen days' "detention in a fortress", with
290:, Hagenbach replied that he could not be held criminally responsible because he
860:
723:, the court convicted not only Wehrmacht members but also prisoners-of-war and
709:
608:
600:
588:
545:
502:
435:
407:
379:
318:
1396:
1103:
The Perennial Conflict Between International Criminal Justice and Realpolitik
1013:
909:
890:
875:
678:
623:
against U-boat crews, which had already resulted in one of the most infamous
592:
553:
549:
533:
494:
490:
395:
383:
354:
350:
1051:
The evolution of individual criminal responsibility under international law
1008:
864:
836:
735:
720:
716:
561:
521:
438:
activity by Belgian civilians, 157 alleged massacres of German POWs by the
303:
1263:
816:
808:
668:
656:
627:
of the Great War: the 19 August 1915 massacre of the shipwrecked crew of
572:
439:
414:
980:
Plaque to Franz Jägerstätter at the former Reichskriegsgericht in Berlin
616:
506:
478:
1028:
905:
848:
831:
787:
764:
750:
724:
694:
663:(1919-1933), abolished separate courts-martial by Article 106 of the
620:
470:
398:
by a separate (the 3rd) senate. The presiding judge in the rank of a
282:. Standing accused of allowing his troops to commit mass murder and
109:
1212:
Barbed Wire Disease: British & German Prisoners of War, 1914–19
1090:
1053:
By Edoardo Greppi, Associate Professor of International Law at the
581:
321:
established military tribunals modelled on the jurisdiction of the
283:
279:
925:
913:
820:
812:
760:
557:
403:
399:
287:
870:
On March 8, 1945, Chancellor Adolf Hitler authorized the use of
811:, the official repeal of criminal prosecution led to widespread
62:
992:
Plaque to Karl Sack at the former Reichskriegsgericht in Berlin
886:
698:
540:
for, among many other things, helping an estimated 200 escaped
489:
if they did not immediately return to work during an attempted
1334:
Die Generale des Heeres, 1921-1945, Band 6 (Hochbaum-Klutmann)
1075:
Exhibit highlights the first international war crimes tribunal
1058:
552:
offence for civilians under the German military law in the
421:
and also, in contradiction of the Roman legal principle of
1381:- Reichskriegsgericht (Gedenktafel, Geschichte, Literatur)
1176:
Zimmermann, Alfred (1916). "A Defense of the Execution".
501:
until after the end of the war. Heynen was reassigned to
353:
with effect from 1 October 1900 established a particular
677:
and enacted a special law on 12 May 1933. Initially the
394:
retained the right to pass judgements to members of the
893:(appellate court), since 2005 it is a private estate.
689:) in Berlin, acted as final appellate court until the
1286:
Sea Killers in Disguise: Q Ships & Decoy Raiders
1144:
An Introduction to the International Criminal Court
134:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
904:until 20 August 1946. In 2002 and 2009 the German
847:. Several military lawyers and judges, including
513:was set aside and Sgt. Heynen was retried at the
1394:
900:, Nazi courts martial were not abolished by the
859:, were executed by following the failure of the
671:government after it had seized power during the
548: – which in wartime was indeed a
1336:(in German). OsnabrĂĽck, Germany: Biblio Verlag.
481:. Sgt. Heynen stood accused of regularly using
835:convictions and even executions by hanging or
1162:The Mens Rea Requirement, By Eugenia Levine,
776:), which encompassed even critical statements
1120:, To be Presented 14 March 2006 as the 38th
1065:No. 835, pp. 531–553, 30 October 1999.
693:(RKG) was established as high court of the
607:on 28 March, 1915. The trial, verdict, and
333:attorneys through three official channels.
50:Learn how and when to remove these messages
1316:The Wehrmacht War Crimes Bureau, 1939-1945
1299:The Wehrmacht War Crimes Bureau, 1939-1945
1194:The Wehrmacht War Crimes Bureau, 1939-1945
1175:
505:at the Front and subsequently awarded the
1139:
1137:
826:At the same time, according to historian
767:, "conveying soldiers to the enemy", etc.
599:for "illegal civilian warfare", "being a
212:Learn how and when to remove this message
194:Learn how and when to remove this message
1114:International Human Rights Law Institute
1063:International Committee of the Red Cross
1046:
1044:
954:
642:
223:
87:of all important aspects of the article.
1214:. Stroud: Spellmount. pp. 185–88.
1209:
1153:
1126:Georgia State University College of Law
1019:Command and obedience in the Bundeswehr
885:. In 1943 the court was transferred to
647:Memorial plaque in front of the former
619:and British merchant seaman to unleash
1395:
1331:
1182:. Vol. 3. New York Times Company.
1134:
681:in Leipzig, from 1 December 1934 the "
83:Please consider expanding the lead to
1266:. Great War Primary Documents Archive
1256:
1234:
1122:Henry J. Miller Distinguished Lecture
1080:
1077:by Linda Grant, Harvard Law Bulletin.
1041:
1346:
1068:
544:'s to cross the lines and return to
132:adding citations to reliable sources
103:
56:
15:
1388:Berlin-Lexikon: Reichskriegsgericht
1130:Georgia State University Law Review
329:, justice was dispensed by special
13:
1235:Singh, Anita (12 September 2015).
1179:The New York Times Current History
943:) allows the government to create
603:", and attempting to ram and sink
14:
1414:
1369:
1351:(in German). Stuttgart: Steiner.
912:activity as well as against "war
770:Subversion of military strength (
611:were also covert retaliation for
31:This article has multiple issues.
1314:Alfred Maurice de Zayas (1989),
1297:Alfred Maurice de Zayas (1989),
1192:Alfred Maurice de Zayas (1989),
1118:DePaul University College of Law
985:
973:
961:
571:, a fellow British Intelligence
336:
247:
108:
61:
20:
1340:
1325:
1308:
1291:
1288:, Pen & Sword. Pages 20-55.
1278:
1228:
667:, but they were revived by the
638:
556:. Cavell was also convicted of
119:needs additional citations for
75:may be too short to adequately
39:or discuss these issues on the
1203:
1186:
1169:
1096:
898:German Instrument of Surrender
872:Fliegendes Sonder-Standgericht
406:was appointed directly by the
85:provide an accessible overview
1:
1034:
386:. In Prussia it replaced the
270:by an ad hoc tribunal of the
232:
457:Following complaints by the
424:Ignorantia juris non excusat
259:lands had existed since the
7:
1004:War crimes of the Wehrmacht
997:
945:specialised military courts
926:Federal Republic of Germany
845:German resistance to Nazism
807:without trial. Against the
10:
1419:
1148:Cambridge University Press
935:Article 96 paragraph 2 of
536:and sentenced to death in
231:(left) in Charlottenburg,
1347:Moll, von Martin (1997).
919:
515:Leipzig war crimes trials
454:on both land and at sea.
370:) to try soldiers of the
278:against the civilians of
1332:Dermot, Bradley (2002).
1264:"Captain Charles Fryatt"
857:Helmuth James von Moltke
784:Kriegsdienstverweigerung
719:. From the beginning of
1284:Tony Bridgland (1999),
1128:, and to appear in the
930:special military courts
843:became involved in the
828:Alfred Maurice de Zayas
780:Conscientious objection
530:International Red Cross
517:for the same offences.
253:Drumhead courts-martial
1320:University of Nebraska
1303:University of Nebraska
1210:Yarnall, John (2011).
1198:University of Nebraska
1160:Command Responsibility
902:Allied Control Council
652:
615:'s orders to both the
459:British Foreign Office
368:Militärgerichtsbarkeit
367:
347:Unification of Germany
308:command responsibility
238:
955:Commemorative plaques
646:
564:on October 12, 1915.
227:
143:"German military law"
1146:William A. Schabas,
863:against the life of
801:Operation Barbarossa
597:German Imperial Navy
526:British Intelligence
463:Imperial German Army
434:, including alleged
376:Reichsmilitärgericht
292:only followed orders
244:has a long history.
229:Reichsmilitärgericht
128:improve this article
1403:German military law
1322:Press. Pages 13-25.
1164:Global Policy Forum
1055:University of Turin
841:German armed forces
773:Wehrkraftzersetzung
691:Reichskriegsgericht
665:Weimar Constitution
649:Reichskriegsgericht
483:corporal punishment
327:Brandenburg-Prussia
268:Peter von Hagenbach
261:Early modern period
242:German military law
1200:Press. Pages 5-10.
1108:2008-09-10 at the
1024:Franz Jägerstätter
823:by German forces.
729:area of operations
653:
633:Baralong incidents
625:British war crimes
499:suspended sentence
493:. Sgt. Heynen was
452:British war crimes
450:and other alleged
448:Baralong Incidents
392:Kingdom of Bavaria
390:agency, while the
239:
1305:Press. Pages 7-8.
1221:978-0-7524-5690-4
853:Rudolf Schleicher
712:at the behest of
613:Winston Churchill
567:Belgian national
487:summary execution
432:German war crimes
388:Generalauditoriat
315:Thirty Years' War
272:Holy Roman Empire
222:
221:
214:
204:
203:
196:
178:
102:
101:
54:
1410:
1386:
1377:
1363:
1362:
1344:
1338:
1337:
1329:
1323:
1312:
1306:
1295:
1289:
1282:
1276:
1275:
1273:
1271:
1260:
1254:
1253:
1251:
1249:
1232:
1226:
1225:
1207:
1201:
1190:
1184:
1183:
1173:
1167:
1157:
1151:
1141:
1132:
1100:
1094:
1087:Judge and master
1084:
1078:
1072:
1066:
1048:
989:
977:
965:
937:German Basic Law
924:Since 1949, the
687:Volksgerichtshof
593:court-martialled
538:Occupied Belgium
534:court-martialled
528:operative under
362:
300:Charles the Bold
296:Duke of Burgundy
237:
234:
217:
210:
199:
192:
188:
185:
179:
177:
136:
112:
104:
97:
94:
88:
65:
57:
46:
24:
23:
16:
1418:
1417:
1413:
1412:
1411:
1409:
1408:
1407:
1393:
1392:
1384:
1375:
1372:
1367:
1366:
1359:
1345:
1341:
1330:
1326:
1313:
1309:
1296:
1292:
1283:
1279:
1269:
1267:
1262:
1261:
1257:
1247:
1245:
1233:
1229:
1222:
1208:
1204:
1191:
1187:
1174:
1170:
1166:, February 2005
1158:
1154:
1150:, Third Edition
1142:
1135:
1110:Wayback Machine
1101:
1097:
1093:, 18 July 2002.
1089:By Don Murray,
1085:
1081:
1073:
1069:
1049:
1042:
1037:
1000:
993:
990:
981:
978:
969:
966:
957:
922:
817:mass executions
745:State treason (
674:Machtergreifung
661:Weimar Republic
641:
578:La Dame Blanche
569:Gabrielle Petit
532:cover, who was
511:double jeopardy
495:court-martialed
419:superior orders
358:
339:
319:Imperial states
276:Burgundian Wars
250:
235:
218:
207:
206:
205:
200:
189:
183:
180:
137:
135:
125:
113:
98:
92:
89:
82:
70:This article's
66:
25:
21:
12:
11:
5:
1416:
1406:
1405:
1391:
1390:
1382:
1371:
1370:External links
1368:
1365:
1364:
1357:
1339:
1324:
1307:
1290:
1277:
1255:
1227:
1220:
1202:
1185:
1168:
1152:
1133:
1095:
1079:
1067:
1039:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1032:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
999:
996:
995:
994:
991:
984:
982:
979:
972:
970:
967:
960:
956:
953:
921:
918:
861:July 20th Plot
819:, burning and
796:
795:
777:
768:
753:
743:
710:Wilhelm Keitel
683:People's Court
640:
637:
609:death sentence
589:Charles Fryatt
546:active service
503:active service
408:German Emperor
380:Charlottenburg
357:jurisdiction (
338:
335:
249:
246:
220:
219:
202:
201:
116:
114:
107:
100:
99:
79:the key points
69:
67:
60:
55:
29:
28:
26:
19:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1415:
1404:
1401:
1400:
1398:
1389:
1383:
1380:
1374:
1373:
1360:
1358:3-515-06873-2
1354:
1350:
1343:
1335:
1328:
1321:
1317:
1311:
1304:
1300:
1294:
1287:
1281:
1265:
1259:
1244:
1243:
1242:The Telegraph
1238:
1231:
1223:
1217:
1213:
1206:
1199:
1195:
1189:
1181:
1180:
1172:
1165:
1161:
1156:
1149:
1145:
1140:
1138:
1131:
1127:
1123:
1119:
1115:
1111:
1107:
1104:
1099:
1092:
1088:
1083:
1076:
1071:
1064:
1060:
1056:
1052:
1047:
1045:
1040:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1014:Court martial
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1001:
988:
983:
976:
971:
964:
959:
958:
952:
948:
946:
942:
938:
933:
931:
927:
917:
915:
911:
907:
903:
899:
894:
892:
891:Kammergericht
888:
884:
883:Red Orchestra
879:
877:
876:Italian Libya
873:
868:
866:
862:
858:
854:
850:
846:
842:
838:
833:
829:
824:
822:
818:
814:
810:
806:
805:Eastern Front
802:
793:
789:
785:
781:
778:
775:
774:
769:
766:
762:
758:
755:War treason (
754:
752:
749:), primarily
748:
744:
741:
737:
734:
733:
732:
730:
726:
722:
718:
715:
711:
707:
702:
700:
696:
692:
688:
684:
680:
679:Reichsgericht
676:
675:
670:
666:
662:
658:
650:
645:
636:
634:
630:
626:
622:
618:
614:
610:
606:
602:
598:
594:
590:
585:
583:
580:
579:
574:
570:
565:
563:
559:
555:
554:German Empire
551:
550:death penalty
547:
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
523:
518:
516:
512:
508:
504:
500:
496:
492:
491:strike action
488:
484:
480:
476:
472:
468:
464:
460:
455:
453:
449:
445:
444:Western Front
441:
437:
433:
428:
426:
425:
420:
416:
411:
409:
405:
401:
397:
396:Bavarian Army
393:
389:
385:
384:supreme court
381:
377:
373:
369:
365:
361:
356:
355:court-martial
352:
351:German Empire
348:
344:
337:German Empire
334:
332:
328:
324:
320:
316:
311:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
266:The trial of
264:
262:
258:
254:
248:Early history
245:
243:
230:
226:
216:
213:
198:
195:
187:
176:
173:
169:
166:
162:
159:
155:
152:
148:
145: –
144:
140:
139:Find sources:
133:
129:
123:
122:
117:This article
115:
111:
106:
105:
96:
93:December 2014
86:
80:
78:
73:
68:
64:
59:
58:
53:
51:
44:
43:
38:
37:
32:
27:
18:
17:
1379:Luise Berlin
1348:
1342:
1333:
1327:
1315:
1310:
1298:
1293:
1285:
1280:
1268:. Retrieved
1258:
1246:. Retrieved
1240:
1230:
1211:
1205:
1193:
1188:
1178:
1171:
1155:
1098:
1082:
1070:
1009:Military law
949:
940:
934:
923:
895:
880:
871:
869:
865:Adolf Hitler
837:firing squad
825:
797:
792:Fahnenflucht
791:
783:
771:
757:Kriegsverrat
756:
747:Landesverrat
746:
739:
736:High treason
721:World War II
717:Adolf Hitler
713:
703:
690:
686:
672:
654:
648:
639:Nazi Germany
601:Franc-Tireur
586:
576:
566:
562:firing squad
522:Edith Cavell
519:
456:
436:Franc-Tireur
429:
422:
412:
387:
375:
340:
330:
323:Swedish Army
312:
265:
251:
241:
240:
228:
208:
190:
181:
171:
164:
157:
150:
138:
126:Please help
121:verification
118:
90:
74:
72:lead section
47:
40:
34:
33:Please help
30:
1385:(in German)
1376:(in German)
941:Grundgesetz
809:laws of war
669:Nazi German
657:World War I
573:field agent
542:British POW
467:Karl Heynen
440:French Army
415:World War I
374:, with the
372:German Army
313:During the
236: 1915
184:August 2017
1270:8 December
1035:References
910:homosexual
896:After the
740:Hochverrat
617:Royal Navy
507:Iron Cross
479:Westphalia
446:, and the
341:After the
154:newspapers
36:improve it
1029:Karl Sack
906:Bundestag
849:Karl Sack
832:Wehrmacht
830:, senior
815:-taking,
788:desertion
765:espionage
751:espionage
725:civilians
695:Wehrmacht
621:total war
471:coal mine
465:Sergeant
378:(RMG) in
360:‹See Tfd›
304:beheading
294:from the
77:summarize
42:talk page
1397:Category
1106:Archived
1091:CBC News
998:See also
914:traitors
803:and the
651:building
582:spy ring
343:Prussian
331:Auditeur
317:several
284:war rape
280:Breisach
928:has no
821:looting
813:hostage
761:perfidy
727:in the
631:in the
629:SM U-27
605:SM U-33
595:by the
558:perfidy
442:on the
413:During
404:admiral
400:general
382:as the
288:perjury
255:in the
168:scholar
1355:
1248:17 May
1218:
920:Legacy
887:Torgau
855:, and
786:) and
714:FĂĽhrer
708:chief
699:Berlin
659:, the
655:After
364:German
349:, the
257:German
170:
163:
156:
149:
141:
1059:Italy
477:, in
475:Herne
345:-led
325:. In
175:JSTOR
161:books
1353:ISBN
1272:2009
1250:2017
1216:ISBN
591:was
575:for
524:, a
147:news
916:".
706:OKW
685:" (
473:at
402:or
263:.
130:by
1399::
1318:,
1301:,
1239:.
1196:,
1136:^
1124:,
1116:,
1061:,
1057:,
1043:^
867:.
851:,
794:).
763:,
742:),
701:.
461:,
410:.
366::
298:,
233:c.
45:.
1361:.
1274:.
1252:.
1224:.
939:(
790:(
782:(
738:(
215:)
209:(
197:)
191:(
186:)
182:(
172:·
165:·
158:·
151:·
124:.
95:)
91:(
81:.
52:)
48:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
